Former Chelsea manager Robert Di Matteo has insisted that Mykhailo Mudryk is still an "average" player and made a bold prediction about the Blues.
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Di Matteo calls Mudryk 'average'£89m yet to deliver consistently Chelsea told they won't get top-fourGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Di Matteo has refused to call Mudryk a world-class player because he believes that the Ukrainian is still far too inconsistent. The Italian coach also predicted that his former club will not have enough to finish in the Premier League's top-four and qualify for the Champions League.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
It took Mudryk 10 months to score his first Chelsea goal after joining the club from Shakhtar Donetsk for £89 million ($110m) in January 2023. The winger finally broke the jinx against Fulham in the Premier League last month, which helped Chelsea earn a 2-0 win the London derby clash.
WHAT DID ROBERTO DI MATTEO SAY?
Speaking to , Di Matteo said: "World-class players have consistency, so if Mudryk can perform at a high level every week, then he'll be on his way to becoming a world-class footballer. He's shown glimpses of it, but he needs to produce those performances every game. That's the difference between an average player and a world-class one."
The former full-back was then quizzed on his outlook for the Blues this season after their recent upturn in form, which has included a 4-1 win over Tottenham and 4-4 draw with champions Manchester City, and added: "I think these hard fixtures may actually suit Chelsea! It's more difficult for teams to play against an opposition that defends with a lot of men behind the ball and waits for you in front of the box. It's more difficult to break them down and find spaces. I watched Chelsea's first game of the season, against Liverpool, and they did really well. They were also good against Arsenal. I think these teams may suit Chelsea and they could surprise us! 'I think Chelsea can finish in the top six. Top four is probably a bridge too far.''
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
After a poor start to their campaign, Mauricio Pochettino's side have picked up form since the end of September, losing just once across all competitions in their last eight matches.
Currently sitting in 10th position in the league, they will next take on Newcastle on November 25.